Hey everyone, Im Tyrus Burton a senior accounting student at MS State University. I’m graduating this December with my accounting degree and am currently mapping out my next steps. My short-term plan is to either transition straight into a full-time role in Audit then Transaction adivosyr/Financial Due Diligence or pursue a Master of Science in Finance (MSF) with a focus on breaking into investment banking. Both routes are mainly to gain hands on deal experience. Long-term, my ultimate ambition is in ETA and building a small holding company. I fully recognize that building a holding co isn't a quick or easy. This is a long term vision I have for my life. Something I want to have by mid 30s-40s, I'm 22. Right now, my main priority is structuring the early phase of my career around gaining knowledge, deal experience, and operational understanding needed to eventually execute that vision. As I finalize my decision between stepping straight into the market versus doing an MSF to position for IB, I’d love to hear from this community: 1. Career Positioning: For those who came through corporate finance/IB, how well did that deal exposure prepare you for your first acquisition? 2. Pathways: Would you recommend jumping straight into full-time finance/accounting roles now, or leveraging an MSF program to pivot directly into boutique IB to get deal experience? 3. Backgrounds: I’d love to hear your own stories what did your early career look like before you made your first acquisition or started thinking about doing so? I appreciate any feedback, advice, or shared experiences!

Hey all, James Bunting here, out of Broussard, Louisiana (Lafayette area). 1. Search method: Independent sponsor. I'm an operator first. I'm currently co-owner and COO of a federal-focused medical staffing company, and I've founded and scaled multiple (4+) businesses from $0 to seven-figure revenue in healthcare, medical staffing, VA/DoD contracting, and residential construction/real estate. My brother is set to be my post-close operating partner. He brings the finance/accounting depth and hands-on ops. 2. Buy box: - Geography: Gulf South (Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas) is ideal. I'll flex outside the region for a strong business, since I've spent 10+ years running remote teams and operations. - Size: $1M–$3M EBITDA, roughly $5M–$20M revenue - Primary focus: Industrial and construction platforms, including wholesale/supply distribution, that sell products and/or services to GCs and major operators - Also interested in: Aggregates distribution and hauling, and other unglamorous B2B businesses with recurring customers and a real workforce - Ideal situation: A founder heading toward retirement, no clear successor, and a solid #2 or crew leads who'd stay on - Pass: Retail/consumer and software If you come across an industrial, construction materials/services, distribution, or hauling business in the Gulf South, please send it my way. 3. Biggest pain point: capital partners. The deals that fit my background are big enough that I am likely going to need outside equity, so I'm trying to build those relationships before I have an LOI instead of scrambling after one. I'm looking for HNW operator-investors, family offices, and other sponsors or searchers who co-invest. What I've found is that a lot of potential investor partners are already doing deals themselves, so they see me as a competitor rather than a partner. I'd love to hear how others here have found equity partners who back a sponsor and not just a single deal. I'd also like to connect with anyone open to co-investing or sharing deals that fall outside their own box.